The flowers on the altar are provided by George and Stacey Coleman to the Greater Glory of God in Memory whose lives were lost in the recent hurricanes.

Ordination Celebration!

Saturday, October 7th our own Jon Musser and Bob Brown will be ordained to the priesthood. Immediately following the service there will be a reception. St. Peter's has been asked to provide 125 finger sandwiches. We need 6 people to make 24 finger sandwiches and deliver them to the church Saturday morning, Oct 7th no later than 8:45 a.m. We request that they be packed in disposable containers. Clothing gift boxes lined with wax paper seems to work well. If you can help, please contact Leigh Ann Warriner at oasismassage7@gmail.com or call 501-908-3172

Dollar Bills

All $1 bills in the offering plate this Sunday will go to the Discretionary Fund.

Bank Draft Form

Did you know that you can have your tithe to St. Peter's automatically taken out of your checking our savings account? The Bank Draft Form is located in the link below. Print this form out and give it to the church office. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mike King at

Join us on Saturday, October 21, 2017, when St. Mark's Episcopal Church will present a free half day seminar from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. The seminar will feature the Rev. Stuart Hoke, former assistant rector at St. Mark's, former rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, Harrison, adjunct professor at General Seminary in New York City, who pioneered a tremendously successful course of study on the Church's role in the treatment of alcoholism and addictive illness. Over the past 30 years of his work in recovery, Stuart has shared his expertise and energy with more than 350 students at the seminary and adapting that course for an audience in dioceses and parishes across the country. The Rev. Stuart Hoke also works with congregations and dioceses where there are issues with impaired clergy.

The Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke will be Guest Preacher at the 8 & 10:30 am services

And speaking at the Forum 9:30-10:15, "The Infinite Value of a Painful Past"
In the Forum presentation, Stuart Hoke will focus on the miracle of Redemption-so visibly and actively at work in circles of Recovery. Twelve-step spirituality emphasizes that our difficult (and sometimes dark) past-in God's Hands-becomes the best resource we have when it comes to helping others. Interweaving his personal experience as a recovering person with the principles of Christian living, Dr. Hoke will "unpack" the great promise of the twelve-step program: "Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worthwhile to us now."

Dr. Jay McDaniel will discuss "Living Spiritually in a Multifaith World." He will explore the challenges and opportuties that present themselves to Christians and other faiths as they seek to live spiritually. He will talk how we can learn from and with one another in a multifaith context that helps create a more just, sustainable, and joyful world for all people, animals, and the earth.

CONVERSATIONS ON SERVANT LEADERSHIP

You are invited to come be a part of "Conversations on Servant Leadership" on Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. beginning October 19, 2017. We will explore a fresh understanding of power that integrates the religious and secular dimensions of life through a study of Bennett J. Sims' book Servanthood: Leadership for the Third Millennium. Steve Zeltmann, a professor at UCA, will be the facilitator.

Books are available on Amazon, or on loan by contacting Judy Helm (judyhelm77@gmail.com) or Carolyn Scott (carolynscott44@yahoo.com). At the first meeting, we will begin with a discussion of questions such as "Who is a leader?" and "What is a servant leader?" then continue for the next four Thursdays.

There is no cost to register, but we would appreciate knowing how many are planning to attend, so please let either Judy, Carolyn, or Steve know of your interest. This event is being sponsored by the Servant Leadership School of Conway. We will meet in St. Peter's Parish Hall, 925 Mitchell Street, Conway.

Happy Birthday to GUS BLUM! He's going to be 100!

A long & loyal member of St. Peters, Gus Blum left us years ago to move to Michigan to be with his daughter, Sue (an extended-family member of St Peters!). He left us, but his works are still all around us in the 100s of photos he took recording momentous events at the church, the shelves in the parking lot entry for the trophies won by our volleyball & softball teams, the little tables we use for collecting pledge cards, Eucharist Elements & a zillion other things, and the stand/holder for the votive candles we use in front of the altar at Christmas and Easter! It may also be remembered that he
loved those pretzel-things with peanut butter inside! He was a lovely member of the parish and is greatly missed! Send him a birthday card!

His actual birthday is
October 19:

Gus Blum

1151 Grandview Drive

Grass Lake, MI 49240-9314.

There will be a BIG card in the lobby for all to sign to send Gus for a Blum family celebration
on October 22, but if you knew & loved him, send him one with your own best wishes. He's a great guy!

The Daughter's of the King encourages people to use the prayer box in the Narthex for any prayer requests they might have. We check it regularly and will add these to our prayers."

Daughter's of the King will host
noon day prayer in the chapel on
September 21 in honor of the fasting day that the Bishop has declared on this day. The 21st of the month is when most food benefits run out.

Jesus and His Jewish Influences

8:50am Discussion in Library

This set of 24 30 minute lectures by Dr Jodi Magness, Dept. of Religion. U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks to provide an understanding of how Jesus's teachings and views were shaped by his Jewish background and context.Jodi Magness PhD is an archaeologist who has done distinguished work in Israel and Greece, participating in 20 excavations. Her primary research interests center on the archaeology of the Holy Land from the destruction of Solomon's Temple to the Muslim Conquest.

Guatemalan Market

The Committee responsible for developing the Guatemalan Medical Mission will begin with a fundraiser sale of Guatemalan and Mexican merchandise after each service on Sunday, November 12. Doug Stroud will be in charge of the sales.

The Medical Mission is headed by Marianne Black who had been our trip leader for at least 8 mission trips. We go to the rural areas of Guatemala to provide Clinics for the people in western Guatemala, where there is extreme poverty and a lack of access to health care. Our Clinic Group will provide a clinical setting, usually within the Episcopal Churches in the area where we will complete eye examinations as well as fit over 400 people with eyeglasses or sunglasses, we will provide examinations for at least 500 patients and give them appropriate medications to manage acute infections and a variety of medical problems. This trip will have 18 to 20 volunteers scheduled for arrival in April of 2018.

The surgical team will provide Nasal and Sinus surgeries at St. Francis' Hospital and Orphanage in Putan in February of 2018. We will have a surgeon, and anesthesiologist and several operating room nurses to complete a number of surgeries in this small rural hospital.

Our fundraiser is only one part of our effort to defray the cost of the trip. The sale in November will be jewelry and textiles, some pottery to be displayed and sold in our lobby area. The Art, Love and St. Peter's event will be held in late January.

The Medical Mission Funding is owned by the Diocese and is not a part of St. Peter's Budget, we only manage the money for the Diocese. We are not the only church who participates in this trip but we are the organizer through Marianne Black.

Church's Teachings for a Changing World

Parish Hall Chapel, Sundays at 10:00am. Books are available in the office to borrow or purchase. All are welcome at any time. Carolyn Scott will be happy to answer your questions.

Brown Bag Book Club

Well-known in Catholic circles for her willingness to take on anybody-even the pope-in defense of women's rights, Chittister, now in her 70s, examines how it feels "to be facing that time of life for which there is no career plan." Clearly, getting older has not diminished the controversial nun, activist, lecturer, and author of nearly 40 books on feminism, nonviolence and Benedictine wisdom. This collection of inspirational reflections, "not meant to be read in one sitting, or even in order, bot one topic at a time," abounds in gentle insights and arresting aphorisms, she ponders topics such as feat, mystery, forgiveness and legacy.
The Brown Bag Book Club begins again on August 9, 2017, at noon in St. Peter's Library. Please come and enjoy lively discussion to make the second half of life even better than the first!

Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Attention Men: Give one hour a month as part of your Christian experience. Join the Brotherhood of St. Andrew which meets for one hour the third Monday of each month. The Brothers pray, study scripture, and serve together. Check the lobby bulletin board for this month's meeting.

Morning Prayer

Join us every Tuesday and Thursday for Morning Prayer at 7 am in the Side Chapel,

led by The Brotherhood of Saint Andrew.

Fall Bible Studies

The Fall Bible Study is a discussion of the Gospel of Luke. Check lobby bulletin board for additional information or telephone Joe Arn.

Afternoon Bible Study: Mondays,
12:15 pm, Church Library.

Evening Bible Study:
Thursdays,
7 pm, Morgan House

Library Information

LibraryThing is a fun tool for getting disturbingly organized with your own home libraries (a free personal library account will allow you to enter a few thousand titles of your own). A few years ago, we set up our church library with a lifetime membership which allows our church library to add up to 10,000 books.
So far we've entered about one tenth of the existing church library in our account, StPeteLibrary. Sadly, I am still the only Librarything "friend" of the church library. I would like some help getting the popularity rolling along. If you get the techie urge to set up a LibraryThing account (it's like a facebook for library enthusiasts and readers where you can recommend titles, etc.), I invite you to "friend" StPeteLibrary! If that's too intense, please feel free to visit the public view, which allows you to browse and search the catalog as well. Here's the public view of StPeteLibrary on Librarything:

Would you like to learn more about the Episcopal Church and how to join? Whether you are new to our congregation or have been a part of St. Peter's for a long time, you're invited to attend this
InquirersWorkshop hosted by our clergy and lay ministers! This day
workshop is full of lively discussions, fellowship and connection. This workshop are especially important (and required) for those planning to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church when the bishop visits St. Peter's in October. A continental breakfast and light lunch will be served.

DOK will host a Come and See informational drop in on
Sunday, Oct. 1 in the library following the
12:00 service. All women of the church are invited to come find out about Daughters of the King. For more information contact DOK President Stephanie Gray,
Stephanie Marie.gray@live.com

October 8 The Rev. Peggy Cromwell preaching in all three services. The Rev. Robert Brown Celebrating in all three services.

The Rev. Jon Musser helping to lead in all three services.

October 15 Bishop Sunday

Potluck Lunch

October 16 Brotherhood of St. Andrews Lecture, 7:00pm, Parish Hall

October 22 The Rev. Robert C. Brown preaching in all three services

October 25 Trunk or Treat! 5:00pm, Parish Parking Lot

October 29 The Rev. Robert Brown leading Adult Forum, Library

November 5 All Saints Day

November 21 Turkey Basket Day

November 23 Parish Office Closed

November 24 Parish Office Closed

December 3 Advent Event/Family Feast, 5:00pm, Parish Hall

December 10 Choir Cantata, 11:00am

December 24 Christmas Eve

11:00am Service (only service for the morning)

5:00pm Christmas Eve Service

8:00pm Christmas Eve Service

December 25 9:00am Christmas Day Service

December 26 through December 29 Parish Office Closed

October 1 - October 7 Birthdays

Francesca Redditt

10/5

B.T. Jones

10/6

Pam Neuhofel

10/6

Russell Henderson

10/7

October 1 - October 7 Anniversaries

Eric and Sarah Bryan

10/1

George and Stacey Coleman

10/1

Thanksgiving Dinner Day

Thanksgiving Dinner Day will be upon us very soon. So it's time for everyone to start thinking of ways you can help with that. We will obviously be asking the youth to help with coordinating the events of the day and getting the dinners distributed to the families. This is also the time of year where I start standing up in front of you on Sundays asking you for money. This year is going to be a little different. We have been very blessed the past two years with great pricing from our vendors, food donations from outside organizations as well as extremely generous monetary donations to fund this amazing day. So blessed, that we've had funds left over. Those leftover funds are transferred to the food pantry account as needed to carry us through the year and allow us to continue providing food to our pantry clients. With the number of clients we serve decreasing and the continued monetary donations coming in from our parishioners, we haven't had to draw from the leftover Thanksgiving funds, which has left us a balance to put towards the purchase of the Thanksgiving dinners for this year. That doesn't mean I'm not still going to ask you for donations - because I am. With the transition of Teri leaving and the search for a new Rector beginning, things may seem a little out of sorts right now. But it won't stay that way because we have a strong family at St. Peter's! A family that cares about the people inside these walls. A family that cares about the people in our community who are hurting, or hungry, or feel like they just don't belong. And that family is going to do whatever it takes to extend the hand of Christ and walk in love.

I think the vestry has been very forthright in the church's current financial status and our operating funds are in a sensitive state of being. I believe that a better use of the excess funds from this year's Thanksgiving donations would be to go directly into the operating account. Your donations will still be funding this wonderful project because without all of the hard work from our amazing church staff, without heat and electricity, without the bills getting paid, the Thanksgiving Dinner Day wouldn't be able to exist. Making sure the day to day operations are taken care of is a major part in continuing to extend our ministries to the people in our community.

Help Out the Food Pantry

Don't forget your items to bring this Sunday! You may also drop off items in the church lobby anytime during the week. With your help we are able to provide food to those in need.

**If you are bringing fresh produce to donate, please contact someone with a key and see that it is placed in the Food Pantry refrigerators.

Pantry Musings

Some days when I listen to the news, I am reminded of my history and the need for action that we felt during the 60's and 70's. I am reminded of lynchings, shootings of people working for black voting rights, fear for the lives of black community members, hate speech and angry faces - lots of them, and police working for the power structure we were trying to change so that some minorities could participate in the larger society or get an education. We were also involved in a war that many felt was wrong and we needed to get out of it. That war was costly politically, economically, and personally. These days were not pretty. They were hot, long and dangerous for some. They were lived very much on a 'one day at a time' basis, and they were full of drudgery and sometimes danger. I know that history sometimes seems to spiral around, presenting new problems that sometimes recall old problems yet they demand a different response from us. When I consider this part of our history, I am reminded of the issues that the Old Testament prophets and Jesus in his role as a prophet faced. In their struggles to help their society survive the onslaught of the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, or the Romans, they went back to the Torah and to its promise of a Covenant with God. I do not know how many times the prophets promises that God would restore the covenant only to have to promise it again because the people continually broke it. Their teaching always included the call to love God with all of your heart, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as your self. In other words be transformed. Change your ways from a love of things, materialism, to a love of God and your neighbor who just might be your enemy.

- Ann Drake

Scripture Readings for Sunday, September 24, 2017

The 9:00am Service will lead the Psalm and read from Philippians.

Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32

The word of the Lord came to me: What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge"? As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.

Yet you say, "The way of the Lord is unfair." Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, "The way of the Lord is unfair." O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.

2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; * let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.

3 Show me your ways, O Lord, * and teach me your paths.

4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, * for you are the God of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long.

5 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, * for they are from everlasting.

6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; * remember me according to your love and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.

7 Gracious and upright is the Lord; * therefore he teaches sinners in his way.

8 He guides the humble in doing right * and teaches his way to the lowly.

Philippians 2:1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Matthew 21:23-32

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

"What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, 'I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.